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Prompt

Now that we've brainstormed and sketched and prototyped and FINALLY landed on a solid idea, it's time to delve into the realm of iterative design.

Iterative design is when you take your initial idea, get feedback, and improve upon that idea and your prototype in a cycle that can happen an infinite number of times (until you hit your deadline, of course!)

For this project, we will be making iterations that focus on FORM and FUNCTION.

Instructions

Discuss the following questions with your partner:

How can you improve the FORM of your design?

Can you add another level of elegance, refinement, or more creativity to your design?
Does the shape of each component of your design have anything to do with its function or use?

Important: Make sure you really examine the full range of materials available to you in this studio and make thoughtful choices about which materials you're using and why.

How can you improve the FUNCTION of your design?

Does it move in the way you want it to?
Does your prototype work the way you want it to? What are some mechanical kinks that you need to work out?
Can you find additional precedents* for the type of mechanisms and functionality that you are incorporating into your design? Do a quick search to see if there is a project like yours out there. What inspiration can you gather from it?

Deliverable

Create a post in the Responses tab that includes 3 photographs of your final prototype that clearly communicate how people engage with it

Concept

Thesis

1 / 8

Present

Description

A concept thesis is an important step in starting a collaborative partner project. We will use this time to combine ideas and arrive at the conceptual directions of our project.

Instructions

Start by talking to your group, and sketching ideas to show each other your ideas. Then, together, decide on the main idea and form of your project. Once you have decided on the direction of the project, move on to writing the project thesis and a project name (these can evolve or change as you progress through the activities, but are important for kickstarting collaborative work from a common understanding.

Deliverables

At the end of this activity, each partnership should have a draft of a project name and a draft of a project concept thesis sentence. Combine these into a single post and add it to the Responses tab above. Add any sketches that you think will clarify your idea.

1 / 4

Present

CamAndLinkage_PrintTemplate.pdf

Prompt

Cardboard lends itself to different mechanisms compared to wood and acrylic. This mechanism combines aspects of the parallel linkage and eccentric cam. It also uses the springiness of cardboard as the returning force to bring the flag back down.

Learning Goals

Understand the basics of the cam and linkage mechanism.
Apply your understanding of the mechanism to create a unique prototype.

Instructions

Part 1: Template model

Using the template file (attached to this post), you will recreate the cam and linkage cardboard model. To complete the activity, you will need cardboard, scissors or exacto, and a dowel or a pencil.

Part 2: Build your own version

Once you’ve completed the model, modify the pre-existing elements in at least one of the following ways:

a) change the movement of the mechanism,

b) customize components,

c) introduce a new add-on feature,

d) propose a novel application.

Deliverables

Take photos of all your work. In the caption, make sure to describe the prototypes and explain your work process. Post your answers to the following reflection questions in the Responses tab above:

Did you find having a template useful?
If you were to repeat this exercise, what would you do differently vs. the same?
Describe the parts you've modified from the original template.